Sabot



July 17, 1962 R. L. DETWILER SABOT Filed Sept. 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG.I.*

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SABOT Filed Sept. 21. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3.

INVENTOR R. L. DETWILER ATTORNEYS SABOT Robert L. Detwiler, Riverdale,Md., assignor to the United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Navy Filed Sept. 21, 1953, Ser. No. 381,525 Claims.(Cl. 102-93) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) Theinvention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for theGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to apparatus for securing a sabot to a gunfired projectile or missile and releasing the sabot therefrom uponfiring of the propelling charge. More particularly, the inventionrelates to a separable bolt or stud device for securing a sabot on amissile which releases the sabot from the missile by gas pressuredeveloped when thepropelling charge is fired in the gun, the sabot andmissile being driven out of the gun thereafter and the sabot separatingand falling away from the missile after leaving the muzzle of the gun.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedsabot release device for a gun-propelled missile wherein the sabot isreleased from the missile by pressure of the propelling charge withinthe gun.

plosive force of the propelling charge.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved sabot releasedevice which is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and well adapted forthe purpose intended.

A further object is to provide a separable bolt for retaining a sabot ona missile which is separable to release the sabot by gas pressuredeveloped by the propelling charge for the missile.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation having parts broken away of a missile orprojectile and showing a sabot attached thereto by the device of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the device of thepresent invention mounted in locking position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the diaphragmof the device forced inwardly by the pressure of the propelling charge;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the sabot separated fromthe missile after leaving the muzzle of the gun;

FIG, 5 is a detail perspective view of a preferred form of the separablebolt;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a detail perspective view of a slightly modified form of theseparable bolt; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numeralsindicate like parts throughout the several views, 10 indicates agun-propelled missile or projectile and 11 indicates the gas retainingdisc of a sabot secured to the trailing end thereof. Sabot 11 isprovided with a plurality of concentric bores 12 in which are fitted theseparable bolts indicated generally at 14. v

Bolts 14 comprise a pair of separable portions 15 and 3,044,400 PatentedJuly 17, 1962 of a diaphragm 21, while threaded end 18 is threaded intoan adapter 22 which closes the end of missile 10. Portion 15 of bolt 14is cut away along a part of the length thereof to provide flat engagingsurfaces 23 and 24, while portion 16 of bolt 14 is cut away along a partof the length thereof to provide matching flat engaging surfaces 25 and26. Surfaces 23 and 25, and surfaces 24 and 26' are joined together by abonding medium such for example, as by hard solder 27. In this mannerportions 15 and 16 of bolt 14 are joined together with suflicientstrength to Withstand ordinary handling and ramming forces encounteredin the shipping and loading of sabot mounted missiles. Each bore 12 isenlarged at 28 to receive hub 19 of diaphragm 21 and is furtherincreased in diameter at 29 for a purpose to be hereinafter. more fullydescribed. Each bore 12 is still further increased in diameter at 31 toreceive the full diameter of diaphragm 21 which is provided at theperiphery thereof Witha step cut 32 to receive an 0 ring gasket 33 toprevent the leakage of propelling charge gases past the diaphragm.

As shown particularly in FIG. 2, a clearance is provided between the endof hub 19 and shoulder 34 formed by enlargement 28, thus to permit hub19 to move inwardly.

Diaphragm 21 is provided with a thinned web section 35 between theperipheral portion thereof and the hub 19. Formed in the outer portionof hub 19 is a screw driver slot 36 whereby an assembled diaphragm 21and bolt 14 may be conveniently installed in each bore 12 and screwedinto adapter 22 thus to secure sabot 11 to the end of missile10. v I

. .In operation, the missile 10 having disc 11 of the sabot securedthereto by separable bolts 14, is inserted in the breech of a gun (notshown), a propelling charge (not shown) being rammed in behind disc 11.When the propelling charge is fired, each diaphragm 21 is deformed bypressure developed by the expanding gases of the charge and hub 19 ismoved inwardly against shoulder 34. Hub 19 moves portion 15 of bolt 14inwardly with respect to portion 16 of bolt 14 thus severing bondingconnection 27 therebetween. It is, of course, understood that theinertia of missile 10 is too great to be moved merely by the movement ofportion 15. Missile 10 is driven through the bore of the gun by disc 11which in turn is driven by the gases generated by the propelling charge.

Where missile 10 and the sabot leave the muzzle of the gun, the portions15 and 16 of each bolt 14 being separated, the arms 48 of the sabot aresplayed outwardly at weakened joints 49 and the sabot is separated fromthe missile by air pressure developed against arms 48 and the outerdiameter of the disc 11, the sabot component falling away from themissile, thus leaving only portion 16 of bolts 14 secured to themissile.

If desired the bolt 14 may be formed as shown in the modification ofFIGS. 7 and 8, the bolt being indicated generally at 40 and comprisingportions 41 and 42. Pore tion 41 is provided with a threaded end 43while portion 42 is provided with a threaded end 44. Each of theportions 41 and 42 is cut away across the center thereof as at 45 and46, respectively, the surfaces being joined by a bonding medium such forexample, as the thin layer of hard solder 47.

It is, of course, understood that the matching surfaces of the twoportions of bolts 14 and 40 may be formed in any desired shape therebyto provide a greater or lesser area to the adjacent surfaces for a givendiameter and length of bolt. It is also to be understood that variousother suitable metals such as brass or other bonding materials may beemployed to provide a variety of shear strengths in place of hard solderto secure the two portions of the bolts together depending on thestrength of joint desired.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. Apparatus for releasably securing a sabot to a gunpropellecl missilecomprising, in combination, a plurality of separable bolts extendingthrough and securing the sabot to the missile, said bolts each includinga pair of separable portions, each of said portions having at least onefiat surface running along the axis thereof, said flat surface of eachof said portions being in face adjacency with the fiat surface of theother of said portions of each bolt, a metallic bonding mediuminterposed between said adjacent'flat surfaces and fuzed thereto forsecuring said portions together, diaphragm means sealed to said sabotand threaded on one end portion of each bolt for applying tensionthereto sufficient to secure the sabot to the missile, said diaphragmmeans being deformable by gas pressure when the gun is fired to move oneof said portions with respect to the other of said portionsthereby tobrcak'the metallic bond therebetween and to disconnect the sabot fromthe missile.

2. Apparatus for releasably securing a sabot to a gunpropelled missilecomprising, in combination, a bolt passing through the sabot, a pair ofsections for said bolt, each of said sections having a fiat surfacerunning along the axis thereof, said surfaces being in mutual faceadjacency, a metallic bonding medium interposed between said surfacesand fuzed thereto for securing said sections together, means for firmlysecuring one of said sections to said missile, pressure responsive meanssecured to the other of-said sections for applying tension to the boltsufficient to releasably clamp the sabot to the missile, said pressureresponsive means being deformable by gas pressure to move the other ofsaid sections to break the bond between said sections by gas pressuregenerated as the gun is fired.

3. Apparatus for releasing an expendable device from a missile which isfired from a gun comprising, in combination, a bolt having a firstmember fixed to said missile and a flat surface therealong coincidentalwith the axis thereof, a second member extending through said expendabledevice and initially retaining the device to the missile, meansincluding a metallic bonded joint disposed along the length of the boltfor securing the first and second members together at the respectivefiat surfaces thereof, and diaphragm means secured to said second memberand having an annular surface near the periphery thereof engaging saidexpendable device for applying tension to said bolt sufficient to securesaid device to the missile, said diaphragm means being deformable by gaspressure generated by firing said gun to break said joint thereby torelease the expendable device from the missile.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which means are provided forsealing said diaphragm means to said second member.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which means are provided onsaid second member for arresting further movement of said diaphragmmeans when the diaphragm means has been deformed sufficiently to breaksaid joint,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.1,788 Smith Oct. 14, 1864 388,413 Hawley Aug. 28, 1888 2,306,140 ReedDec. 22, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,575 Great Britain Oct. 14, 1885 496,991France Nov. 21, 1919

